Book Olacabs in Mumbai with one-touch iPhone app

Ask any Mumbaikar, and he’ll tell you of the nightmares of flagging down a cab in Maximum City, especially during the peak hours of commute. Olacabs has introduced what they claim to be the nation’s first iPhone app for booking and monitoring cabs. An official statement by the company reveals that commuters can book a cab with a single touch on their iPhones. 

Get going with the application

The launch of the iPhone app comes a month after the company launched its Android application. Using the application, commuters can book the Olacabs taxi that is closest to their location, and also track its movement towards them with a one-touch interface on their iPhones and Android phones. Commuters receive confirmation of their booking instantly, along with details such as the name of the cab driver, vehicle number, distance from the commuter’s location and the estimated time required to reach the location. The app also tracks and displays on a map the real-time movement of the cab from its location to that of the customer. Registered users can maintain a credit balance with Olacabs to use the service through the app without paying in cash.

Olacabs states that the app addresses 'on-the-ground uncertainties' that most taxi users in the city face. By providing a direct channel between the commuter and the cab, this app eliminates the uncertainty about the location of the cab or the time taken by it to reach its destination. It provides greater control and real time information to the commuter. With its built-in GPS and location sharing functionality, the app ensures that a customer does not waste time in giving directions to the driver or the customer care service. The driver reaches the pick-up point on his own.

The iPhone app by Olacabs

Bhavish Aggarwal, Co-founder and CEO, Olacabs said, “With the expected proliferation of smartphones in India, it made good business sense for us to launch apps to help smartphone users easily access Olacabs. The launch of the iPhone app, and the earlier Android app, are an extension of our commitment of making cab booking easy and hassle-free for our customers.”

Interestingly, according to the official statement, the app is said to boost business for cab drivers, who can get customers faster due to efficient management of taxi time. This is possible due to the use of GPS, constant traffic alerts and real-time demand estimation. The operations inside the cab are managed using an Android phone, which acts as an in-car navigation device and fare meter.

To get the app, head over to the store, here. The app is compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch (3rd generation and fourth generation), and iPad. It requires iOS 5.1 or later.

Cover Image credit: Getty Images